Multilayer circuit carrier, panel, electronic device, and method for producing a multilayer circuit carrier

ABSTRACT

A multilayer circuit carrier, electronic devices and panel, and a method for producing a multilayer circuit carrier include at least one semiconductor chip, at least one rewiring layer with a rewiring structure, and at least one insulation layer, which has passage structures.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of PCT/DE03/02575, filed Jul. 31,2003, and titled “Multilayer Circuit Carrier and Production Thereof,”which claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to German Application No. DE102 35 332.8, filed on Aug. 1, 2002, and titled “Multilayer CircuitCarrier and Production Thereof,” the entire contents of which are herebyincorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a multilayer circuit carrier and a method ofproducing the same.

BACKGROUND

As the miniaturization and complexity of integrated circuits onsemiconductor chips increase, the number and the packing density ofmicroscopically small contact areas and/or microscopically smallflip-chip contacts on the active top sides of the semiconductor chipsincrease. In order to arrange the multiplicity of microscopically smallcontact areas on a semiconductor chip, the pitch for the arrangement ofsuch contact areas and/or flip-chip contacts of a semiconductor chipalso have microscopically small chip sizes. In this context,microscopically small is understood to mean dimensions which can only bediscerned and measured under a light microscope. In order to connectthese microscopically small contact areas and/or flip-chip contacts tomacroscopically large external contacts, of flat conductor frames, whoseflat conductors provide microscopically small contact pads in theinterior of a plastic or ceramic housing and undergo transition tomacroscopically large external flat conductors toward the outside, areused. In this context, macroscopically large is understood to meandimensions which can be discerned and measured with the naked eye.

This concept based on flat conductors has the disadvantage that only theouter edges of a circuit carrier can be used for fitting the externalflat conductors, while the relatively large underside of the circuitcarrier of an electronic device is not used for the arrangement ofexternal contact areas. This is achieved only by flat-conductor-freetechnology with the aid of a rewiring body. In this case, a transitionfrom the microscopically small pitch of the contact areas of asemiconductor chip to the macroscopic pitch of the external contactareas of an electronic device is possible by rewiring lines on aninsulation plate. Such rewiring bodies include rewiring plates orrewiring sheets, which have a costly complex construction and increasethe density of the rewiring lines and the density of the macroscopicexternal contact areas as the contact area density of the semiconductorchip increases. This means that the complexity of rewiring bodiesincreases in interaction with through contacts through the insulationplate of the rewiring body, so that costs rise and the probability offailure upon assembly of electronic devices on such rewiring bodiesincreases.

A circuit carrier with lower production costs for electronic devices andimproved reliability is desirable.

SUMMARY

A multilayer circuit carrier has at least one semiconductor chip and/orat least one discrete component. Also, the multilayer circuit carrierhas at least one rewiring layer, an insulation layer, and an anchoringlayer. The rewiring layer has a rewiring structure, which has contactpads that are electrically connected to the microscopically smallcontact pads of the semiconductor chips. The rewiring structure hasrewiring lines that have conductor tracks in the submicron range. Suchrewiring structures have transition contacts to passage structures. Theinsulation layer has passage structures. The passage structuresencompass through contacts and form continuous conductor tracks and/orcontinuous metal plates. According to the invention, the anchoring layeris arranged between the rewiring layer and the insulation layer and hasanchor regions or metallic anchor laminae, which fix the position of thepassage structures in the multilayer circuit carrier. Finally, anexternal contact layer is situated on the underside of the multilayercircuit carrier, and has external contact areas that are electricallyconnected to the rewiring structure via the passage structures and theanchor laminae. The external contact areas are arranged in apredetermined pitch on the underside of the circuit carrier. In thiscase, the anchor regions and the passage structures are produced in onepiece.

Continuous conductor tracks differ from through contacts by extendingover the full height of an insulation layer. The position of continuousconductor tracks is secured by anchor laminae in the multilayer circuitcarrier. Continuous metal plates differ from metal structures byextending over the full height of an insulation layer and securing theirposition in a multilayer circuit carrier by anchor laminae.

The multilayer circuit carrier has external contact areas at apredetermined pitch, which renders external flat conductors, which arearranged only at the edges of an electronic device, dispensable.

Moreover, in the multilayer circuit carrier, each element of the passagestructures is secured by anchor laminae. Finally, the multilayer circuitcarrier can be formed in large-area fashion and, in a plurality ofdevice positions, have at least one semiconductor chip and/or at leastone discrete component. Such device positions may be arranged as anindividual row one behind the other or in rows and columns on themultilayer circuit carrier. Such measures make it possible to reduce thecosts for producing electronic devices or electronic modules.

The insulation layer with a passage structure forms a substrate layer,which has through contacts in a predetermined pitch corresponding to thepitch of the external contact areas. In order to fix the throughcontacts of a substrate layer in a multilayer circuit carrier, eachthrough contact has an anchor lamina with an area larger than the crosssection of the through contacts.

The rewiring structure has electrically conductively filled plastic. Inthe case of such plastics, the filling includes metal particles, such assilver particles. The circuit carrier can be added to by additionalrewiring layers with rewiring structures made of electricallyconductively filled plastic. In this case, through contacts that haveelectrically conductively filled plastic can be arranged in intermediatelayers made of insulation material. This results in an overallconstruction for a multilayer circuit carrier which, apart from thesubstrate layer with its metallic through contacts, has exclusivelyfilled plastics.

Alternatively, rather than producing the rewiring structure in therewiring layer from electrically conductively filled plastic, therewiring layer can be formed from a further insulation layer. That is,the structures that characterize a rewiring layer can also be present aspassage structures, have either continuous conductor tracks and/orcontinuous metal plates, instead of or in addition to the throughcontacts, and replace the rewiring layers. During production of themultilayer circuit carrier, one method variant for producing the circuitcarrier layers is used. Consequently, the multilayer circuit carrieronly has insulation layers with passage structures, which are stackedone above the other. The anchoring layer with its anchor laminae onsurface regions of each passage structure ensures that circuit bridgesand circuit crossovers can be realized in the multilayer circuit carrierand a defined distance between the individual insulation layers withrewiring structures remains ensured.

Alternatively, the circuit carrier has two insulation layers withpassage structures. The anchor layers of the insulation layers arearranged with their anchor laminae one on top of the other. Thisstructure of a pair wise arrangement of the insulation layers withpassage structures on the one hand doubles the distance between thepassage structures of the respective layer since two anchor laminae arearranged one on top of the other. Moreover, this pair wise arrangementof two insulation layers with passage structures facilitates theembedding of the passage structures in a plastic housing composition,since the distance to be filled between the passage structures isenlarged.

In the case of such pair wise arrangement of insulation layers withanchor laminae, one of the anchor lamina has an eutectic solder, whilethe other anchor lamina has another eutectic solder, so that a lowconnecting or joining temperature can be achieved when joining theanchor laminae one on top of the other. For such eutectic solders, oneof the anchor laminae of the pair can have gold or a gold alloy and theother of the anchor laminae of the pair can have tin or a tin alloy.Thus, a connection of a gold-tin eutectic can be formed at a low soldertemperature. Similarly, one of the two joining partners can have anchorlaminae with a gold coating and the other of the joining partners canhave anchor laminae with an aluminum coating.

One of the insulation layers of a multilayer circuit carrier can have acutout as a hollow housing. The cutout receives at least onesemiconductor chip and/or a discrete component. This insulation layer,which is formed with a hollow housing, can form the topmost layer of themultilayer circuit carrier and at the same time terminate the circuitcarrier with inclusion of the at least one semiconductor chip and/or theat least one discrete component in its cutout.

In such an embodiment of the invention, the insulation layer withpassage structures can be used in three places, for example, in thebottommost layer of the layer sequence as substrate layer with throughcontacts and anchor laminae in an anchoring layer on the insulationlayer. An insulation layer with passage structures has continuousconductor tracks and/or continuous metal plates besides throughcontacts, which carries at least one semiconductor chip and/or at leastone discrete component. An insulation layer formed as a hollow housingwith the at least one semiconductor chip and/or the at least onediscrete component arranged in the cutouts is arranged as thetermination of the multilayer circuit carrier.

Such multilayer circuit carriers with buried semiconductor chips and/orburied discrete components form a compact device housing in each deviceposition of the multilayer circuit carrier which has an relatively smalldevice thickness and has a predetermined arrangement of external contactareas which are connected to semiconductor chips and/or discretecomponents within the electronic device or within the multilayer switchplate.

By constructing one of the insulation layers of a multilayer circuitcarrier from transparent plastic, the transparent plastic can form ahollow housing and provide image and/or radiation detection. The hollowhousing of transparent plastic, which is provided as a layer of amultilayer circuit carrier, allows electromagnetic waves to reach thesurface of the semiconductor chip and/or the discrete component in anunattenuated fashion. The multilayer circuit carrier with semiconductorchip can thus form a light and/or UV and/or IR detector. Moreover, thetransparent plastic can be formed above the semiconductor chip or abovethe discrete component, such as a photoresistor, as detector lens,thereby amplifying the detector efficiency.

One of the insulation layers of a multilayer circuit carrier can have acontinuous metal plate. The metal plate is formed as a shielding plate.The opposite effect of shielding a semiconductor chip and/or discretecomponent from electromagnetic waves is possible. Besides a detectorlens or a shielding plate, this insulation layer formed as housing canhave through contacts in order to ensure an electrical connection fromthe underside of the circuit carrier populated with external contactareas to the top side of the circuit carrier. A continuous metal plateas a chip island can receive a semiconductor chip on one of its sides.The lowest potential of an electronic circuit can be routed to the chipisland on the other side of the metal plate. If such a continuous metalplate is used as a chip island, then the contact areas of the active topside of the semiconductor chip may be connected to the rewiringstructure via bonding connections. The rewiring structure can havecontinuous contact pads in addition to continuous conductor tracks. Thebonding wires of the bonding connection can be electrically connected tocontact pads.

Another possibility for preparing a semiconductor chip with contactareas for the multilayer circuit carrier includes providing flip-chipcontacts on the contact areas of the semiconductor chip. The flip-chipcontacts can be provided as a real contact structures or contact ballsor contact bumps for flip-chip contacts. For connecting semiconductorchips which are prepared for a flip-chip connecting technique,continuous contact pads are provided besides continuous conductortracks. The semiconductor chip are applied using flip-chip technology tothe contact pads.

In the case of rewiring structures made of electrically conductivelyfilled plastic, continuous contact pads are not provided. Rather,contact pads are arranged on an insulating layer, so that throughcontacts lead through the insulating layer.

If the multilayer circuit carrier is provided for a plurality of devicepositions, then it can be separated into individual devices afterapplication of the at least one semiconductor chip or of the at leastone component and after embedding of these electronic elements in aninsulation layer made of a plastic housing composition or by coveringthe electronic elements with an insulation layer which is formed ashollow housing. The costs for the individual devices can be reducedsince the multilayer circuit carrier simultaneously forms the housingfor a plurality of individual electronic devices.

A plurality of circuit carriers including insulation layers arranged inpairs with passage structures are stacked and connected via throughcontacts to form a panel which likewise has a plurality of devicepositions for electronic devices and can then be divided into individualelectronic devices.

The electronic devices that are separated from a multilayer circuitcarrier or from a panel can have a rewiring structure made of conductiveplastic. The conductive plastic can match the surrounding plastichousing composition in terms of its thermal expansion behavior toprevent thermomechanical stresses in the plastic housing. The throughcontacts of the bottommost insulation layer, which also forms a basis asa substrate layer, can be released from the plastic. However, this isprevented by the anchoring layer, which is arranged between aninsulation layer and a rewiring layer, and its anchor laminae.

A further electronic device including such multilayer circuit carriersor such panels can have a stack of a semiconductor chip on an insulationlayer with elongated through contacts and an insulation layer withthrough contacts in a predetermined pitch of external contact areas.With such elongated through contacts, the external contacts can bearranged with their pitch beneath the area of the semiconductor chip,which corresponds to a “fan-in,” and outside the region of thesemiconductor chip, which corresponds to a “fan-out.” This is understoodto mean a region of the external contact layer which is arranged outsidethe projection of the semiconductor chip area onto the external contactlayer, while external contact areas beneath the semiconductor chipencompasses the external contact areas arranged within the projection ofthe semiconductor chip area onto the external contact layer. Theelongated through contacts form continuous conductor tracks in order toadapt the pitch of the contact areas of a chip to the predeterminedpitch of the external contacts in the external contact layer.

In this connection, the predetermined pitches of a flat conductorcarrier are adapted to predetermined distances of discrete electroniccomponents by a multilayer circuit carrier. Specifically, themultilayered circuit carrier according to the invention is also suitablefor adapting discrete electronic components with their electrodes topredetermined pitches of a flat conductor frame if, for example, inputor output capacitances between individual flat conductors of a flatconductor frame or input and/or output inductances of an electroniccircuit between flat conductor connections are to be electricallyadapted or adjusted.

A method for producing a multilayer circuit carrier having at least onerewiring layer, an anchoring layer, an insulation layer, which haspassage structures, and an external contact layer includes providing ametal plate for producing an insulation layer with passage structures,applying a photoresist layer to the metal plate for passage structures,patterning the photoresist layer while leaving free areas on whichpassage structures can be deposited. Chemically depositing orelectrodepositing passage structures on the free areas of the metalplate, removing the photoresist layer from the metal plate, applying athermally stabilized plastic housing composition while embedding thepassage structures and leaving free surface regions of the passagestructures, curing the plastic housing composition, and removing themetal plate.

An anchoring layer is applied to the self-supporting insulation layerwith passage structures by selectively depositing anchor laminae on thesurfaces of the passage structures. The areas of the anchor laminae arelarger than the surface regions of the passage structures that have beenleft free. A rewiring layer can subsequently be applied to the anchoringlayer by selective application of a rewiring structure to the anchoringlayer. In this case, the anchor laminae simultaneously serve as throughcontacts to the electrically conductive rewiring structure. Themultilayer circuit carrier can then be completed by application of atleast one semiconductor chip and/or at least one discrete component.

The anchoring layer and the anchor laminae embedded in the anchoringlayer fulfill a dual function in that they mechanically secure theposition of the passage structures and serve as through contacts forconnection to the electrically conductive rewiring structure. As aresult, at least one additional insulation layer with correspondinglyvoluminous through contacts is saved and the height of the insulationlayer that is otherwise necessary is reduced to the height of theanchoring layer. Saving one complete additional method step makes itpossible to reduce the overall costs of the method for producing amultilayer circuit carrier.

The electrically conductive rewiring structure can be patterned fromconductive plastic by photolithography and/or printing technology. Inthis case, photolithography technique is used for the microscopicallysmall patterning of contact pads which correspond to the contact areasof a semiconductor chip since it can more precisely realize structuresin the micrometers range. On the other hand, a printing techniques areused if rewiring structures are to be formed as intermediate layers, forexample, for a multilayer circuit carrier having a plurality of rewiringlayers arranged one above the other. In these cases, stencil printingand/or screen printing and/or jet printing may be used as printingtechniques. In this connection, jet printing encompasses techniqueswhich work with a printing jet and can print a conductive plasticstructure with such a pulsed plastic jet. For the conductive region ofthe rewiring layer, a plastic may be filled with conductive particles,such as silver particles. For the insulating region of a rewiring layer,the plastic may be filled with correspondingly insulating particles.

By a multi-jet printing system, insulating plastic regions andconductive plastic regions can be applied simultaneously, which providesa cost advantage in terms of method technology. Moreover, jet printingtechniques can realize finer structures for the rewiring structure thanscreen printing or stencil printing techniques, so that it is possibleto dispense with photolithographic steps for critical dimensions, whichagain lowers the method costs. If, for miniaturization reasons andreasons of compactness, a multilayer circuit carrier will have aplurality of rewiring layers that are stacked and staggered one abovethe other, then the abovementioned techniques can be used to provide asmany insulation layers as desired with rewiring layers arranged thereonon the circuit carrier, insulation layers with through contacts andinsulation layers with rewiring structures being applied alternately.

In the case of this method, different technologies for realizing amultilayer circuit board are employed for producing a substrate layer,which includes an insulation layer with through contacts and whichcarries an external contact layer with external contacts in apredetermined pitch. In principle, after completion of theself-supporting first insulation layer or substrate layer, individualpolymer layers are applied which serve as rewiring layers or asinsulation layer.

By contrast, a further method in which the same technology is used bothfor creating insulation layers as substrate layer with through contactsand for producing insulation layers with passage structures avoidsspecial techniques for producing rewiring structures and reduces costsfor producing a multilayer circuit carrier.

A method for producing a multilayer circuit carrier having at least twoinsulation layers arranged in pairs includes providing at least twometal plates for producing the two insulation layers with passagestructures, applying and patterning photoresist layers where the metalplates are covered with photoresist while leaving free areas on whichpassage structures deposited as through contacts and/or as rewiringstructure in the form of continuous conductor tracks and/or continuousmetal plates, chemically depositing or electrodepositing passagestructures in the free areas, removing the photoresist from the metalplates, applying a thermally stabilized plastic housing compositionwhile embedding the passage structures and while leaving free surfaceregions of the passage structures, removing the two metal plates so thattwo self-supporting insulation layers with passage structures areavailable, selectively applying an anchoring layer selectively on theself-supporting insulation layers with passage structures, applyinganchor laminae having a larger area than the surface regions of thepassage structures that have been left free to the passage structures,and joining the insulation layers with passage structures together inpairs while connecting the anchor laminae of the anchoring layers. Thispair wise joining together of the anchor laminae gives rise to adistance between the insulation layers with passage structures toprevent short circuits apart from at the desired positions of the anchorlaminae.

The interspace between the insulation layers can be filled withthermally stable plastic housing composition. After the production ofsuch a multilayer circuit carrier including insulation layers joinedtogether in pairs, the carrier is completed by applying at least onesemiconductor chip and/or at least one discrete component. Thus, amultilayer circuit carrier based on a single patterning technology forpassage structures is created. As a result, this method enables massproduction based on metal plates on which patterned passage structuresare produced by chemical deposition or electrodeposition. On aninsulation layer which only has through contacts to external contactareas in a predetermined pitch, a second insulation layer is formed byconnecting or joining together the respective anchor laminae of therespective anchoring layer with a small distance of twice the magnitudeof the anchor laminae thickness arising between the insulation layerswith through contacts.

This distance lies between 3 and 10 μm and can be filled with plastichousing composition. While the lower insulation layer only has throughcontacts, the upper insulation layer has further passage structures,such as continuous conductor tracks and continuous metal plates and alsocontinuous contact pads and continuous connecting contacts.Consequently, with its passage structures, the upper insulation layerreplaces a separately produced rewiring, thereby reducing the productioncosts of this method relative to the method explained previously.

If, after etching away the metal layers, the stability of the insulationlayers is not sufficient to constitute a self-supporting insulationlayer and to apply the further method steps thereto, such as theapplication of an anchoring layer, then removing the metal plate canoccur after applying the anchoring layer, which is associated with ahigher stability for the fitting and alignment of the anchoring layer. Acritical point of this method is the small distance between theinsulation layers with passage structures, which is filled with plastichousing composition. This step can be avoided by a further improvedmethod.

For this purpose, a method is specified which serves for producing amultilayer circuit carrier having at least two insulation layersarranged in pairs. These insulation layers again have passagestructures, the lower insulation layer has through contacts, and theupper insulation layer forms a rewiring layer with its passagestructures.

First, metal plates for producing insulation layers with passagestructures are provided. Photoresist layers are then applied to themetal plates and the photoresist layers are patterned such that areas ofthe metal plates which serve for the application of passage structuresare left free. Such passage structures have through contacts and/or arewiring structure in the form of continuous conductor tracks orcontinuous metal plates. The passage structures are chemically depositedor electrodeposited on the free areas of the metal plates. Afterward,anchoring layers are applied directly by selective application of anchorlaminae on the surfaces of the passage structures. The anchor laminaehave a larger area than the surfaces of the passage structures.Afterward, the photoresist layers are removed on both metal plates andthe insulation layers with passage structures are then joined togetherin pairs while connecting the anchor laminae of the anchoring layers.

Consequently, the intermediate step of producing self-supportinginsulation layers with passage structures is eliminated. Rather, thepassage structures, which are situated on the metal plates in thismethod, are joined together with their anchor laminae made of metal,thus giving rise to a cavity structure which is delimited toward theoutside by two opposite metal plates. The two joined-together rewiringstructures are arranged between the metal plates. The delimiting metalplates can simultaneously serve as encapsulation molds for injecting aplastic housing composition between the metal plates while embedding thepassage structures and the anchor laminae of the two insulation layers.After these steps the metal plates are removed, so that aself-supporting double layer including insulation layers arranged inpairs with through contacts is available for the further construction ofa multilayer circuit carrier.

In order to complete the circuit carrier, at least one semiconductorchip and/or at least one discrete component is applied to the insulationlayers arranged in pairs with passage structures. The metal plates aresimultaneously retained as a mold until passage structures of twoinsulation layers are connected to one another via corresponding anchorlaminae, so that, for embedding the rewiring structures with the anchorlaminae, a larger cavity is available for the injection of plastichousing composition. This increases the reproducibility and reliabilityof this method compared with the methods explained previously.

In an exemplary implementation of the methods explained previously, aninsulation layer is produced as substrate layer with through contacts,which are provided in the pitch of external contact areas. The lowerinsulation layer of the multilayer circuit carrier is created. The lowerinsulation layer can also be the basis or first substrate layer of apanel which, besides the insulation layer as substrate layer, hasfurther insulation layers with passage structures which are stacked oneon top of the other or may be arranged in pairs and then stacked. In thecase of pair wise stacking, the second insulation layer of a pair can beproduced as a rewiring layer with rewiring structures in the form ofcontinuous conductor tracks and/or continuous metal plates and/orthrough contacts and also continuous contact pads and continuoustransition contacts.

Since both the substrate layer and the rewiring layer are effected usingthe same technology by chemical deposition or electrodeposition on apatterned metal plate, the overall method for producing a multilayercircuit carrier can be standardized and normalized based on a singletechnology, which permits the expectation of a considerable cost saving.For this purpose, the passage structures are deposited in the form ofthrough contacts and/or continuous conductor tracks and/or continuousmetal plates or continuous contact pads or continuous transitioncontacts on a metal plate made of a copper alloy. The chemicallydeposited or electrodeposited metal can have a nickel alloy, whichdiffers from a copper alloy in terms of its etching behavior, so that,during the later removal of the metal plate, an etching stop occurs atthe transition from the copper alloy to the nickel alloy.

A further method improvement resides in the fact that a copper-coatedsheet for the chemical deposition or electrodeposition of nickel isprovided on a carrier plate. Such a copper-coated sheet is just assuitable for the chemical or galvanic application of passage structuresas a metal plate. The copper-coated sheet can be stripped from theself-supporting body after production of a self-supporting insulationlayer or after production of a self-supporting stack of insulationlayers with passage structures, so that an etching or a mechanicalremoval of a metal plate is obviated. The self-supporting body can thenbe cleaned of copper residues of the copper coating.

Two technologies are available for removing the metal plate by etchingtechnology: dry etching with the aid of a plasma and wet etching withthe aid of a metal etchant. Wet etching can provide an etching stopthrough the choice of different materials for the metal plate and forthe chemically deposited or electrodeposited passage structures. In thecase of plasma etching, such etching stops can be dispensed with, sothat it is possible to deposit materials of the same type on metalplates or with metallized sheets. Plasma etching can be used, moreover,for cleaning the surfaces in order, for example, to remove the coppercoating of a copper-coated sheet after the sheet has been stripped froman insulation layer.

A plurality of technologies are possible for application of anchorlaminae. In the case of chemical deposition, the patterning photoresistlayer can be mirror-coated at the same time as filling the structures onthe metal plate, so that only one etching mask has to be applied inorder to remove the excess material apart from the metal laminae. In thecase of galvanic application of the passage structures on a metal plate,a mushroom-cap-shaped enlargement of the passage structures can beprovided by momentarily continuing the electrodeposition after thefilling of the structures, thus giving rise to an overgrowth of theelectrodeposition of the passage structures. Anchor laminae arise on thepassage structures in this case, too, which ensure an anchoring of thepassage structures in the plastic housing composition that issubsequently to be applied.

If very precise anchor laminae are intended to be produced, then it ispossible firstly to apply or mirror-coat the surface of the insulationlayer with a metal film by vapor deposition, sputtering or chemicalvapor deposition and this mirror-coated surface may subsequently bepatterned by photolithography to form individual anchor laminae. Afurther possibility for producing anchor laminae consists in printingtechnology, by printing anchor laminae onto the surfaces of the passagestructures, in which case it is possible to work with a mask whichcorrespondingly selectively applies anchor laminae on the surface byscreen printing technology or stencil printing technology, or by using aprinting jet technique which writes on the top sides of the passagestructures and in this case prints metal particles with binder onto thepassage structures.

In order to complete the multilayer circuit carrier with semiconductorchips, it is possible to apply semiconductor chips to the circuitcarrier using flip-chip technology. In the case of a flip-chiptechnology, the semiconductor chip is provided with flip-chip externalcontacts which can be applied directly on contact pads of the topmostinsulation layer with passage structures. In the case of a rewiringstructure made of electrically conductive plastic, it is likewisepossible to apply such a semiconductor chip with flip-chip externalcontacts to the corresponding contact pads. Such a flip-chip techniquecan eliminate a bonding step. In the case of bonding, in order tocomplete the multilayer circuit carrier, semiconductor chips are appliedto correspondingly prepared continuous metal plates by their rear side,while contact areas on the active top side of the semiconductor chipsare connected via bonding wires and/or via bonding tapes tocorresponding contact pads on the passage structures or on the rewiringstructure.

The multilayer circuit carrier can include buried semiconductor chipsbecause an insulation layer with or without through contacts and withdepressions is applied as topmost layer of the multilayer circuitcarrier, in which case hollow housings are produced by the depressions.After application of such a topmost layer, the multilayer circuitcarrier becomes a panel with a plurality of device positions. The panelis separated in order to produce individual electronic devices.

A flat-conductor-free multilayer circuit carrier with electrodepositedor chemically deposited metal structures has a space between the metalstructures filled with nonconductive epoxy material and forms the basisfor further layer constructions. In this case, the surface of the metalstructures is spared by mask technology. A conductive layer can then beapplied to these uncovered metal structures which can be multilayer anda semiconductor may be applied on a topmost layer using flip-chiptechnology.

Multichip packages and multichip modules can be realized by such amultilayer circuit carrier. The rewiring planes obtained in theindividual insulation layers with passage structures enablecontact-making arrangements to be realized independently of the“footprint” or of the predetermined pitch of the external contact areasof a housing package. This saves basic areas compared with flatconductor constructions and can be useful in radiofrequency applicationssince the linking of the external contact areas to the semiconductorchip can be made very short. The various passage structures, rewiringstructures and also anchor laminae can be produced very precisely bymask technology, where printing techniques are particularly inexpensive.

Completed mounted flat-conductor-free housings can be mounted in arelatively larger flat-conductor-free housing, which can be repeatedmultiply, whereby arbitrary rewirings can be relatively simple. Thistechnique is very flexible and cost-effective and permits rapidmounting.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be explained in more detail on the basis ofembodiments with reference to the accompanying figures

FIG. 1 shows a schematic cross section of an electronic device with amultilayer circuit carrier of a first embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 2 shows a schematic cross section of an electronic device with amultilayer circuit carrier of a second embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 3 shows a schematic cross section of an electronic device with amultilayer circuit carrier of a third embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 4 shows a schematic cross section of an electronic device of apreliminary stage of the electronic device in accordance with FIG. 3,

FIGS. 5A to 10 show schematic cross sections through intermediateproducts in the production of a multilayer circuit carrier with asemiconductor chip in each device position of the multilayer circuitcarrier of a fourth embodiment of the invention, where FIGS. 5A and 5Bshow schematic cross sections through two self-supporting insulationlayers with passage structures, FIGS. 6A and 6B show schematic crosssections through two self-supporting insulation layers with passagestructures and applied anchor laminae, FIG. 7 shows a schematic crosssection through a pair of joined-together insulation layers with anchorlaminae lying one on top of the other, FIG. 8 shows a schematic crosssection through a pair of joined-together insulation layers with afilled interspace between the insulation layers, FIG. 9 shows aschematic cross section through a pair of joined-together insulationlayers with applied external contact areas, and FIG. 10 shows aschematic cross section through a multilayer wiring carrier withsemiconductor chip on a continuous metal plate as chip island,

FIGS. 11 to 17 show schematic cross sections through intermediateproducts in the production of a multilayer circuit carrier with asemiconductor chip in each device position of the multilayer circuitcarrier of a fifth embodiment of the invention, where FIG. 11 shows aschematic cross section through a metal plate with passage structuresand with anchor laminae on the passage structures, FIG. 12 shows aschematic cross section through a metal plate with through contacts andwith anchor laminae on the through contacts, FIG. 13 shows a schematiccross section through the metal plates of FIGS. 11 and 12 after theanchor laminae have been joined together, FIG. 14 shows a schematiccross section through the metal plates joined by anchor laminaeaccording to FIG. 13 with filled cavities between the metal plates, FIG.15 shows a schematic cross section through a self-supporting multilayercircuit carrier, FIG. 16 shows a schematic cross section through aself-supporting multilayer circuit carrier with applied external contactareas, and FIG. 17 shows a schematic cross section through a componentposition of a multilayer circuit carrier with applied semiconductorchip,

FIGS. 18 to 21 show schematic cross sections through intermediateproducts in the production of a panel with a semiconductor chip in eachdevice position on the basis of a multilayer circuit carrier of a sixthembodiment of the invention, where FIG. 18 shows a schematic crosssection through a pair of two insulation layers with passage structures,FIG. 19 shows a schematic cross section through a further pair of twoinsulation layers with passage structures, FIG. 20 shows a schematiccross section through the pairs of FIGS. 18 and 19 after the two pairshave been joined together, and FIG. 21 shows a schematic cross sectionthrough a multilayer circuit carrier with a semiconductor chip,

FIG. 22 shows a schematic cross section through an electronic devicewith a multilayer circuit carrier with a hollow housing and asemiconductor chip of a seventh embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 23 shows a schematic cross section through an electronic devicewith a multilayer circuit carrier with a hollow housing and asemiconductor chip of a eighth embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 24 shows a schematic cross section through an electronic devicewith a multilayer circuit carrier with a hollow housing and asemiconductor chip of a ninth embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 25 shows a multilayer circuit carrier of a tenth embodiment of theinvention,

FIG. 26 shows a multilayer circuit carrier of a eleventh embodiment ofthe invention,

FIG. 27 shows a multilayer circuit carrier of a twelfth embodiment ofthe invention, and

FIG. 28 shows a multilayer circuit carrier of a thirteenth embodiment ofthe invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows a schematic cross section of an electronic device 28 with amultilayer circuit carrier 1 of a first embodiment of the invention. Thereference symbol 2 identifies a semiconductor chip and the referencesymbol 4 identifies a rewiring structure, which forms a topmost layer ofthe multilayer circuit carrier 1 and is identified as rewiring layer 5.The reference symbol 6 identifies passage structures, which are producedby different technologies in this first embodiment of the invention. Thereference symbol 7 identifies an insulation layer with passagestructures 6. Here three insulation layers are stacked one on top of theother in this first embodiment of the invention. The reference symbol 8identifies external contact areas arranged on the underside 9 of themultilayer circuit carrier 1.

In this first embodiment of the invention, the external contact areas 8are covered with a layer that forms an external contact 10. Thereference symbol 11 identifies a plastic, which forms the nonconductivepart of each insulation layer 7. The plastic 11 can be a plastic filledwith insulation particles, such as, for example, an epoxy resin filledwith correspondingly nonconductive oxide or carbide particles.

The reference symbol 12 identifies an anchoring layer, which includesplastic 11 and forms a special insulation layer since the plastic 11 haselectrically conductive metallic anchor laminae 13. The anchor laminae13 provide an electrical conduction function and a mechanical anchoringfunction. The reference symbol 14 identifies through contacts, which arepresent in the three insulation layers 7 in the first embodiment of theinvention. The through contacts 14 provide mechanical anchoring in theanchoring layer 12. The reference symbol 15 identifies an electricallyconductively filled plastic which, in this embodiment of the invention,forms the topmost layer of the circuit carrier and thus the rewiringstructure 4. The through contacts 14 of the topmost insulation layer canalso be constructed from such an electrically conductively filledplastic.

The reference symbol 22 identifies contact areas of the semiconductorchip 2 on its active top side 38. The reference symbol 24 identifiescontact balls that are arranged on the contact areas 22 and formflip-chip external contacts 34. The semiconductor chip 2 is embeddedwith its external contacts in a plastic housing composition 30. Theplastic housing composition 30 can have the same material as the plastic11 of the insulation layers. Since, in this first embodiment of theinvention, the rewiring structure 4 as topmost layer of the multilayercircuit carrier 1 is also made of plastic, which, however, is filledwith electrically conductive particles, the semiconductor chip 2 withits flip-chip external contacts 34 is completely surrounded by plastic.

The transition from plastic to metal is effected at the transition tothe metallic anchor laminae 13 in the anchoring layer 12. The anchorlaminae 13 serve as a through contact function and mechanically securethe position of the through contacts 14 in the bottommost insulationlayer 7, which, in this first embodiment of the invention, is formed assubstrate layer 33 and thus has a relatively greater thickness than theoverlying anchoring layers and the topmost insulation layer 7. Thesubstrate layer can be a self-supporting substrate and have a pluralityof device positions arranged in columns and rows. This substrate layer33 is thus the prerequisite in order to simultaneously apply furtherlayers for a plurality of devices, such as the anchoring layer 12 withits anchoring laminae 13 or the overlying insulation layer with itsplastic leadthroughs 14, and also the topmost layer, which, in thisfirst embodiment of the invention, comprises an electrically conductiverewiring structure and is covered by the plastic housing composition 30.

In order to produce such a device 28 of the first embodiment of theinvention, the substrate layer 33 is constructed as insulation layer 7with through contacts 14 on a continuous metal plate (not shown, i.e.,already removed and no longer present in FIG. 1), which is carried outby electrodeposition or chemical deposition of the through contacts 14on areas of the metal plate left free for the deposition of such throughcontacts 14. After production of the through contacts 14, the anchoringlayer 12 with the anchor laminae 13 of metal is deposited in patternedfashion on the top sides of the through contacts 14. A plurality ofmethods have been described for this purpose.

In the first embodiment of the invention as shown in FIG. 1, the anchorlaminae 13 of the anchoring layer 12 are applied selectively with theaid of printing technology. A patterned insulation layer 7 issubsequently introduced, which leaves free at least parts of the anchorlaminae for application of the through contacts 14 made of electricallyconductively filled plastic 15. A fourth layer of electricallyconductively filled plastic 15 is applied to these three insulationlayers 7 in patterned fashion. This layer forms the rewiring structure 4and has conductor tracks 40, transition contacts 37, and also contactpads 25.

The semiconductor chip 2 can be applied to the contact pads 25 into eachof the device positions 27 (shown in cross section in this exemplaryembodiment). In this embodiment of the invention, the pitch r of theexternal contact areas 8 and thus of the external contacts 10 is greaterthan the pitch R of the flip-chip external contacts 34. The differencebetween the two is bridged by the conductor tracks 40 of the rewiringstructure 4. Thus, independently of the predetermined pitch r of theexternal contacts of the electronic device 28, semiconductor chips 2 areaccommodated in the housing made of plastic housing composition 30,which have a pitch R for their flip-chip external contacts 34 whichdeviates from the predetermined pitch r.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic cross section of an electronic device 28 with amultilayer circuit carrier 1 of a second embodiment of the invention.Components having functions identical to those in FIG. 1 are identifiedby the same reference symbols and are not discussed separately.

The second embodiment of the invention also proceeds from a substratelayer 33 which has through contacts 14 and an anchor lamina 13 arrangedabove each through contact 14 in order to secure the position of thethrough contacts 14 in the plastic 11. Differing from the firstembodiment of the invention, there are seven insulation layers arearranged one above the other in order to compensate for the differencebetween the pitch R of the flip-chip external contacts 34 and thepredetermined pitch r of the external contact areas of the substratelayer 33. While the through contacts 14 are applied chemical depositionor electrodeposition technology on a metal plate, which has already beenremoved, and thus have a metal, the further through contacts 14 in theoverlying insulation layers 7 are produced from an electricallyconductively filled plastic 15.

In this second embodiment of the invention, a total of three rewiringstructures 4 are embedded in three rewiring layers 5 arranged one abovethe other, the topmost rewiring layer 5 being electrically connected tothe flip-chip external contacts 34 of the semiconductor chip 2, so thatan arbitrary pitch R of the flip-chip external contacts 34 can undergotransition to a predetermined pitch r of the external contact areas 8.With the aid of the rewiring structures stacked multiply one above theother and the associated through contacts, it is possible to produceconduction bridges and to realize mutually crossing conduction tracksthat are insulated from one another.

While the metallic through contacts 14 of the substrate layer 33 arechemically deposited or electrodeposited, the remaining conductivestructures are produced by printing technology. In the case of printingtechnology, masks such as a screen printing mask or a stencil are usedor to carry out jet printing, rewiring patterns are writtensuccessively. Such jet printing systems work according to the principleof inkjet printers, except with the difference that here, instead of theink, a liquid plastic filled with electrically conductive particles, inparticular, nanoparticles, is printed in the structure of a rewiringlayer or in the structure of passage contacts. During the subsequentcuring of the plastics, the low-viscosity binder of the printed rewiringstructure can simultaneously escape and a compact, electricallyconductive rewiring structure can form.

FIG. 3 shows a schematic cross section of an electronic device 28 with amultilayer circuit carrier 1 of a third embodiment of the invention.Components having functions identical to those in the previous figuresare identified by the same reference symbols and are not discussedseparately.

The third embodiment of the invention differs from the first twoembodiments of the invention in that a larger pitch R of the flip-chipexternal contacts 34 is intended to be reduced to a predeterminedsmaller pitch r for the external contact areas 8 with the aid of themultilayer circuit carrier. A further difference from the first twoembodiments of the invention is that the multilayer circuit carrier 1,with one technology, realizes an insulation layer 7 with throughcontacts 14 in a predetermined pitch r, a second insulation layer 7 withelongated through contacts 14 corresponding to a rewiring structure 4. Afurther difference is that an electronic device 28 with elongatedthrough contacts 14 is realized, and then an insulation layer withthrough contacts 14 in a predetermined pitch r is realized while at thesame time, slightly enlarging the housing and thus the plastic housingcomposition 30.

Consequently, in the larger housing 41 made of plastic housingcomposition 30, a complete electronic device 28 is arranged at a deviceposition 27 of a multilayer circuit carrier. The connection between theelongated through contacts 14 and the through contacts 14 of thesubstrate layer 7 is realized by a conductive adhesive 42. Theconductive adhesive 42 can be replaced by a soldering connection.Consequently, the entire multilayer circuit carrier includes a buriedsemiconductor chip with external contacts of a first, topmost anchoringlayer 12 with contact laminae 13 and underneath an insulation layer 7with elongated, continuous through contacts 14, and finally anelectrically conductive adhesive layer connected to the anchor laminae13 of a second anchoring layer 12 located deeper. The anchor laminae 13hold through contacts 14 in position in the bottommost insulation layer7 of the electronic device 28.

To produce such a multilayer circuit carrier 1, the same technology isemployed twice, where a passage structure 6 is produced in an insulationlayer 7 and then the two insulation layers 7 are connected to oneanother via their passage structures 6 and interposed anchor laminae 13.

FIG. 4 shows a schematic cross section of an electronic device 28 of apreliminary stage of the electronic device 28 in accordance with FIG. 3.Components having functions identical to those in the previous figuresare identified by the same reference symbols and are not discussedseparately.

The electronic device 28 shown in FIG. 4 is likewise based on amultilayer circuit carrier 1 with at least one insulation layer 7 withpassage structures 6, which here are formed as rewiring structure 4. Incontrast to the first two exemplary embodiments, this rewiring structure4 in FIG. 4 is realized with passage structures 6, i.e., the passagestructure is simultaneously a rewiring line 16 and a through contact 14.In this case, the rewiring line 16 can either be embodied like anelongated through contact 14 or narrower than a through contact 14 for asubstrate layer 33, since this rewiring line does not have to have anyexternal contacts whatsoever. The start of the rewiring line, which isconnected to the flip-chip external contacts 34 via an anchor lamina 13,can be adapted to the flip-chip external contacts of the semiconductorchip 2 in terms of its order of magnitude and dimension.

In addition, the second end of the continuous conductor track 16 can bewidened to correspond to the width of the through contacts 14 of thesubstrate layer 33 in FIG. 3. Consequently, the cross section of thecontinuous conductor track 16 illustrated here in FIG. 4 shows threeregions which can have a different order of magnitude. A first region ofa contact pad 25 has a microscopically dimensioned size of, for example,a few 10 μm² adapted to the flip-chip external contact 34. A secondregion has a macroscopic dimension for the transition contact 37, theorder of magnitude of which corresponds to the external contact areas 8,which can be, for example, several 10 000 μm². Situated between thetransition contact 37 and the contact pad 25 is a passage structure inthe form of a continuous conductor track 16, the width of which canrange, for example, from a few micrometers down to the submicron range.Such submicron widths for conductor tracks are produced with copper ornickel alloys which can be electrodeposited in correspondingly preparedtrenches.

FIGS. 5A to 10 show schematic cross sections through intermediateproducts in the production of a multilayer circuit carrier 1 with asemiconductor chip 2 in each device position 27 of the multilayercircuit carrier 1 of a fourth embodiment of the invention. Componentshaving functions identical to those in the previous figures areidentified by the same reference symbols in FIGS. 5A to 10 and are notdiscussed separately.

FIGS. 5A and 5B show schematic cross sections through twoself-supporting insulation layers 7 with passage structures 6. Thepassage structure of the insulation layer 7 shown in FIG. 5A has throughcontacts 14 as passage structure. The through contacts are secured byanchor laminae 13. Consequently, the through contacts 14 do not slideout of the insulation layer 7 during thermal loading of the insulationlayer 7.

The insulation layer 7 shown in FIG. 5B has a through contact 14 withanchor laminae 13 and a cross-sectionally elongated structure witheither a continuous metal plate 17, for example, of rectangular orsquare cross section, or an elongated continuous conductor track 16 inthe plastic 11. Continuous conductor track 16, can be a rewiringstructure and, as continuous metal plate 17 can be formed as chip island35. Such continuous structures are produced by the same technology withwhich through contacts 14 are produced in an insulation layer 7.Compared with rewiring structures applied as a patterned layer on aninsulation layer 7, passage structures 6 are metal-filled trenches in aninsulation mask. Such an insulation mask can be chemically deposited orelectrodeposited by photolithography on a metal plate, which has alreadybeen removed in FIGS. 5A and 5B. The two insulation layers 7 illustratedin FIGS. 5A and 5B are thus produced by identical method steps.

FIGS. 6A and 6B show schematic cross sections through twoself-supporting insulation layers 7 with passage structures 6 andapplied anchor laminae 13. The insulation layer 7 with through contacts14 in FIG. 6B corresponds to the insulation layer 7 in FIG. 5A. Theinsulation layer 7 shown in FIG. 6A corresponds to the insulation layershown in FIG. 5B and is arranged such that in FIG. 6A the anchor laminae13 are opposite one another and can be joined one on top of the other bybringing the two insulation layers 7 together in arrow direction A. Forthis purpose, the anchor laminae 13 may have different materials which,if they are joined together, produce solder connections having a lowmelting point. In this embodiment of the invention, the upper anchorlaminae 13 have a gold alloy, while the lower anchor laminae 13 have atin alloy and the two together produce a eutectic soldering connectionat low temperature.

FIG. 7 shows the intermediate product of the next step, during which thetwo insulation layers with passage structures 6, as shown in FIGS. 6Aand 6B, are connected or joined via the anchor laminae 13. Consequently,FIG. 7 shows a schematic cross section through a pair of joined-togetherinsulation layers 7 with anchor laminae 13 lying one on top of theother. An interspace having the thickness d is produced between the twoinsulation layers as a result of the joined-together anchor laminae 13.This interspace of 5 to a few 10 μm is filled with plastic 11 in thesubsequent step.

FIG. 8 shows a schematic cross section through a pair of joined-togetherinsulation layers 7 with a filled interspace between the insulationlayers 7. Filling the interspace with plastic 11 or a plastic housingcomposition 30 gives rise to an anchoring layer 12, which holds the twoinsulation layers together. In this case, the lower insulation layer 7forms a substrate layer 33 which only has through contacts 14, while theupper insulation layer 7 has passage structures 6, which can have boththrough contacts 14 and continuous conductor tracks and/or a continuousprinted circuit board 17.

This pair of two insulation layers 7 with anchoring layer 12 arranged inbetween is a self-supporting part or a self-supporting plate and thusforms a multilayer circuit carrier 1, which can have many such devicepositions 27 arranged in rows and columns.

FIG. 9 shows a schematic cross section through a pair of joined-togetherinsulation layers 7 with applied external contact areas 8. Coatingsapplied on the upper insulation layer 7 have bondable material and/or amaterial which together with silicon forms a eutectic having a lowmelting point, such as, for example, aluminum. In this fourth embodimentof the multilayer circuit carrier 1, a continuous metal plate 19 isintroduced or chemically deposited or electrodeposited into the upperinsulation layer 7. The metal plate is dimensioned such that it canreceive a semiconductor chip and thus realize a chip island 35.

FIG. 10 shows a schematic cross section through a multilayer circuitcarrier 1 with semiconductor chips 2 on a continuous metal plate 17 aschip island 35 and also a through contact 14, which, through bothinsulation layers, electrically connects the bonding wire 36 to theunderside 9 of the circuit carrier. As a result, an electricalconnection is produced between external contact area 8 and contact area22 on the semiconductor chip 2.

FIGS. 11 to 17 show schematic cross sections through intermediateproducts in the production of a multilayer circuit carrier 1 with asemiconductor chip 2 in each device position 27 of the multilayercircuit carrier 1 of a fifth embodiment of the invention. Componentshaving functions identical to those in the previous figures areidentified by the same reference symbols and are not discussedseparately in FIGS. 11 to 17.

FIG. 11 shows a schematic cross section through a metal plate 29 withpassage structure 6 and with anchor laminae 13 on the passage structures6. In the this method of producing a multilayer circuit carrier, aself-supporting insulation layer with passage structures 6 is notproduced. Rather, the photoresist laying between the metallic passagestructures 6 is removed. In this case, FIG. 11 has a through contact 14and a continuous metal plate 17 as passage structures 6.

FIG. 12 shows a schematic cross section through a metal plate 29 withthrough contacts 14 and with anchor laminae 13 on the through contacts14. In this case, the photoresist layers that initially existed betweenthe through contacts 14 in order to electrodeposit or chemically depositthe through contacts 14 on the uncovered areas are not replaced by aplastic housing composition. Rather, the metal plate 29 is initiallymaintained as a supporting layer in order to leave the through contacts14 in position. The metal plates 29 can subsequently be aligned with oneanother in arrow direction A. The anchor laminae 13 of the twostructures of FIGS. 11 and 12 are located one on top of the other.

FIG. 13 shows a schematic cross section through the metal plates 29 ofthe FIGS. 11 and 12 after the anchor laminae 13 have been joinedtogether. Since the metal plates remain present throughout and areprovided for a plurality of circuit positions 27 for the production of amultilayer circuit carrier 1, the two metal plates 29 serve as a moldboundary in this implementation of the method for producing a multilayercircuit carrier. The interspaces to be filled with plastic housingcomposition are now larger than in FIG. 7. Moreover, the plastic doesnot penetrate to the external contact areas 8 of the passage structures6 since the latter are still connected to the metal plates 29. Thepotting of the interspaces with plastic housing composition based on thelarger interspaces is facilitated.

FIG. 14 shows a schematic cross section through the joined metal plates29 according to FIG. 13 with filled cavities between the metal plates29. During the filling of the cavities, the metal plates 29 can besupported by corresponding mold bodies in order that the plates do notbulge when the plastic is pressed at a high pressure of up to 15 MPainto the interspaces of such a structure as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14.After the solidification or curing or crosslinking of the plastic, thepassage structures of metal are anchored in the plastic since the anchorlaminae 13 are embedded in plastics composition. Moreover, thisjoined-together multilayered composite yields a self-supporting body ora self-supporting plate which is no longer supported by the metal plates29.

FIG. 15 shows a schematic cross section through a self-supportingmultilayer circuit carrier 1. The metal plates 29 in FIG. 14 has beenremoved by wet-chemical etching. This removal of the metal plates 29 issupported by the fact that the passage structures 6 are produced fromnickel or a nickel alloy, while the metal plates 29 includes a copperalloy. Consequently, the copper etchant stops at the interface with thenickel. As a result, a defined metal surface of the through contacts 14or of the passage structures 6 is present at the surfaces of theself-supporting plate-type body now present according to FIG. 15.External contacts or bondable metals can be applied to these metalareas.

FIG. 16 shows a schematic cross section through a self-supportingmultilayer circuit carrier 1 with applied external contact areas 8.These external contact areas 8 are only fitted on the underside 9 of themultilayer circuit carrier 1, while bondable materials are applied tothe passage structures 6 on the top side of the circuit carrier 1. Thismaterial can also be a conductive adhesive for fixing the semiconductorchip on the continuous metal plate 17 formed there as chip island 35.

FIG. 17 shows a cross section through a device position 27 of amultilayer circuit carrier 1 with applied semiconductor chip 2. Thepassive rear side 39 of a semiconductor chip 2 is applied to thecontinuous metal plate 17 by a conductive adhesive 42. Consequently, thepassive rear side 39 of the semiconductor chip 2 is electricallyconnected to the external contact 8 via the conductive adhesive 42, thechip island 35, the two anchor laminae 13, and the through contact 14.The passive rear side 39 of the semiconductor chip 2 can thus beconnected to the lowest potential of the integrated circuit with respectto the active top side 38 of the semiconductor chip 2.

In this fifth exemplary embodiment of the invention, the electrodes ofthe active components of the integrated circuit on the top side 38 ofthe semiconductor chip 2 are connected to the stacked through contact 14via the contact areas 22 and the bonding connections 36. The throughcontact are electrically connected to a further external contact 8 viathe two anchor laminae 13. Consequently, for example, signal pulses canbe applied to the contact area 22 of the active top side 38 of thesemiconductor chip 2 via the external contact and the through contacts14 and also the anchor laminae 13 and the bonding connections 36.

FIGS. 18 to 21 show schematic cross sections through intermediateproducts in the production of a panel 26 with a semiconductor chip 2 ineach device position based on a multilayer circuit carrier 1 of a sixthembodiment of the invention. Components having functions identical tothose in the previous figures are identified by the same referencesymbols and are not discussed separately for FIGS. 18 to 21.

FIG. 18 shows a schematic cross section through a pair of insulationlayers 7 with passage structures 6. This pair of insulation layers 7corresponds to the pair of insulation layers in FIG. 16, but the chipisland has been significantly enlarged.

FIG. 19 shows a schematic cross section through a further pair of twoinsulation layers 7 with passage structures 6, which correspond to thepair of insulation layers 7 in FIG. 16.

FIG. 20 shows a schematic cross section through the pairs of FIGS. 18and 19 after the two pairs have been joined together in arrow directionA, the external contacts 8 of one pair being joined together with thetopmost contacts of the second pair of FIG. 19. As a result, fourmultilayer circuit carriers produced by the same technology give rise toa further structure, which is also referred to as panel 26, especiallyif the detail shown in FIG. 20 only represents one position of a panel26 comprising a plurality of device positions 27. In principle, as manypairs of insulation layers with passage structures as desired can bestacked one above the other in the same way, the passage structures, asshown in FIG. 20, being able to serve not only as chip island, but alsoas continuous conductor tracks 16. In this case, the continuousconductor track 16 can extend on both sides to form transition contacts37 and contact with through contacts of corresponding size at both endsof the continuous conductor track 16.

FIG. 21 shows a schematic cross section through a multilayer circuitcarrier 1 with a semiconductor chip 2 which forms a part of a panel 26.Since each of the insulation plates constructed in pairs with multiplethrough contacts 14 is self-supporting, if the dielectric strengthpermits and the air humidity does not have to be shielded, theinterspace having the thickness d between the insulation layers arrangedin pairs can remain free and unfilled. However, if higher requirementsare made of the dielectric strength, then this interspace having thethickness d is also has to be filled with corresponding insulatingplastic material. The semiconductor chip 2 can be covered with a furtherhollow housing layer, so that the multilayer circuit carrier 1 has asemiconductor chip 2 incorporated in a hollow housing.

FIG. 22 shows a schematic cross section through an electronic device 28with a multilayer circuit carrier 1 with a hollow housing 18 and with asemiconductor chip 2 in accordance with a seventh embodiment of theinvention. Components having functions identical to those in theprevious figures are identified by the same reference symbols and arenot discussed separately.

The multilayer circuit carrier 1 of FIG. 22 is realized by joiningtogether a substrate carrier with passage structure 6, which, besidesthe through contacts 14, additionally has a continuous metal plate 17formed as chip island 35. In this case, both the position of the chipisland 35 and the position of the passage contacts 14 are predeterminedwith a pitch r. A second insulation layer 7 with through contacts 14 isformed such that a cutout 19 is present, which can serve as a hollowhousing 18 for the electronic device 28. Consequently, by the sametechnology, both a lower insulation layer 7 with passage structures 6and an upper insulation layer 7 with passage structures 6 and cutouts 19are joined together by the anchor laminae 13, thereby producing amultilayer circuit carrier 1 with a buried semiconductor chip 2.

FIG. 23 shows a schematic cross section through an electronic device 28with a multilayer circuit carrier 1 with a hollow housing 18 and asemiconductor chip 2 of an eighth embodiment of the invention.Components having functions identical to those in the previous figuresare identified by the same reference symbols and are not discussedseparately.

In FIG. 23, a further insulation layer 7 is applied to the multilayercircuit carrier 1 of FIG. 22. The insulation layer has a continuous,large-area metal plate 17, which is connected at its edges via throughcontacts 14 to external contact areas 8 on the underside 9 of themultilayer circuit carrier 1. This construction completely shields thesemiconductor chip 2 in its hollow housing 18, with the result that thismultilayer circuit carrier can be used for sensitive radiofrequencydevices 28.

FIG. 24 shows a schematic cross section through an electronic device 28with a multilayer circuit carrier 1 with a hollow housing 18 and asemiconductor chip 2 of a ninth embodiment of the invention. Componentshaving functions identical to those in the previous figures areidentified by the same reference symbols and are not discussedseparately.

This ninth embodiment of the invention differs from the previousembodiments of the invention by the fact that the hollow housing 18 isnot produced from a plastic housing composition 30, as in FIGS. 22 and23, but rather from a transparent plastic 20. A through contact 14 canbe led through said transparent plastic 20 in order to feed signals andsupply voltages also from the top side of the multilayer circuit carrier1. In this ninth embodiment of the invention, the transparent plastic 20forming the hollow housing 18 is formed as detector lens 21 above thesemiconductor chip 2 in order to obtain a higher detector efficiency ora higher light sensitivity.

FIG. 25 shows a multilayer circuit carrier 1 of a tenth embodiment ofthe invention. Components having functions identical to those in theprevious figures are identified by the same reference symbols and arenot discussed separately.

In this embodiment of the invention, a flat conductor frame with a chipisland 35 and flat conductors 43 is connected to a semiconductor chip 2,in the case of which the size of the semiconductor chip 2 is neithercompatible with the size of the chip island 35 of the flat conductorframe nor is the pitch of the flat conductors adapted to the pitch ofthe contact areas 22 of the semiconductor chip 2. In such a case, amultilayer circuit carrier 1 can be used to adapt the orders ofmagnitude to one another with tenable costs. For this purpose, a lowerinsulation layer 7 with a continuous metal plate 17 is provided, whosearea and distance from a through contact 14 correspond to the area ofthe chip island 35 of the flat conductor frame and the distance betweensaid island and the flat conductor 43. In an insulation layer 7 arrangedthereon, provision is made of passage structures with a continuous metalplate 17, whose size is adapted to the semiconductor chip 2. Acorresponding through contact 14, which has a bondable coating and iselectrically connected to the contact areas via a bonding connection, isconnected to the flat conductor 43 of the flat conductor frame via theunderlying through contact 14 of the underlying insulation layer 7 andvia the external contact area 8.

FIG. 26 shows a multilayer circuit carrier 1 of an eleventh embodimentof the invention. Components having functions identical to those in theprevious figures are identified by the same reference symbols and arenot discussed separately.

This exemplary embodiment demonstrates how, with the aid of themultilayer circuit carrier according to the invention, a large chipisland 35 of a flat conductor frame, which island is arranged at arelatively small distance from a flat conductor 43, can be populatedwith two significantly smaller semiconductor chips 2. In this eleventhembodiment of the invention, two insulation layers 7 are stacked oneabove the other and are connected to one another via the anchor laminae13, so that, with the upper insulation layer, it is possible to realizean arbitrary structure independently of the size and arrangement of thechip island 35 of the flat conductor frame and of the flat conductor 43.

FIG. 27 shows a multilayer circuit carrier 1 of a twelfth embodiment ofthe invention. Components having functions identical to those in theprevious figures are identified by the same reference symbols and arenot discussed separately.

In the case of this exemplary embodiment of FIG. 27, a semiconductorchip 2 is arranged on a plurality of flat conductors 43, which arearranged in a predetermined pitch r, which semiconductor chip has aconnection to at least one of the flat conductors 43 via its contactareas 22 and the passive rear side 39 of which semiconductor chip iselectrically connected to another of the flat conductors 43. Thisembodiment of the invention according to FIG. 27 also shows thepossibility of realizing arbitrary passage structures on the secondinsulation layer with the multilayer circuit carrier 1 according to theinvention, so that it is possible to connect different semiconductorchips 2 with a totally independent, a real distribution to predeterminedflat conductors 43 of a flat conductor frame with a predetermined pitchr.

FIG. 28 shows a multilayer circuit carrier 1 of a thirteenth embodimentof the invention. Components having functions identical to those in theprevious figures identified by the same reference symbols and are notdiscussed separately.

This thirteenth embodiment according to FIG. 28 differs from theprevious embodiments by the fact that the multilayer circuit carrier 1has passive components 3 which are fitted with their electrodes 44 andan arbitrary distance between the electrodes 44 on a flat conductorframe having flat conductors 43 arranged in a predetermined pitch r. Forthis purpose, provision is again made of a multilayer circuit carrier 1with at least two insulation layers 7 with passage structures 6, whichenable the discrete components 3 to be electrically connected by theirarbitrarily dimensioned electrodes 44 to the external flat conductors 43of a flat conductor frame with a predetermined pitch r. Consequently,the multilayer circuit carrier 1 according to the invention enables theconstruction of an entire module comprising discrete components and/orsemiconductor chips and also the adaptation of these structures withtheir corresponding electrodes 44 or their contact areas 22 topredetermined pitches, be they the pitches r of external contact areas 8or, as shown in the example of FIGS. 25 to 28, the pitches r of flatconductors 43.

While the invention has been described in detail and with reference tospecific embodiments thereof, it will be apparent to one skilled in theart that various changes and modifications can be made therein withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope thereof. Accordingly, it is intendedthat the present invention covers the modifications and variations ofthis invention provided they come within the scope of the appendedclaims and their equivalents.

1. A multilayer circuit carrier, comprising: at least one semiconductorchip and/or at least one discrete component; at least one rewiringlayer, the rewiring layer having a rewiring structure; at least oneinsulation layer, the insulation layer having passage structures andexternal contact areas arranged on an underside of the circuit carrieras an external contact layer at a predetermined pitch; and an anchoringlayer arranged between the rewiring layer and the insulation layer, theanchoring layer having anchoring layer anchor regions that fix aposition of the passage structures in the multilayer circuit carrier,wherein the external contact areas are electrically connected to therewiring structure via the passage structures and the anchor regions. 2.The circuit carrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the insulation layeris a substrate layer with through contacts in a predetermined pitchcorresponding to the pitch of the external contact areas, the throughcontacts being a passage structure.
 3. The circuit carrier as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the rewiring structure has electrically conductivelyfilled plastic.
 4. The circuit carrier as claimed in claim 1, whereinthe rewiring layer is formed by a second insulation layer, which has apassage structure with through contacts and/or continuous conductortracks and/or continuous metal plates as a rewiring structure.
 5. Thecircuit carrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the circuit carrier hastwo insulation layers with passage structures, and the anchor layers arearranged with anchor laminae disposed one on top of the other.
 6. Thecircuit carrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the circuit carrier hasinsulation layers arranged in pairs with anchor laminae, the anchorlaminae being disposed one on top of the other and joined to each otherbetween each pair of insulation layers, the anchor laminae includes aneutectic solder.
 7. The circuit carrier as claimed in claim 1, whereinthe insulation layer includes a cutout for receiving at least onesemiconductor chip and/or at least one discrete component.
 8. Thecircuit carrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the insulation layerincludes a transparent plastic as a detector lens.
 9. The circuitcarrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the insulation layer includes acontinuous metal plate as a shielding plate.
 10. The circuit carrier asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the semiconductor chip includes contactareas and contact balls arranged thereon on contact pads of the rewiringstructure using flip-chip technology.
 11. The circuit carrier as claimedin claim 1, wherein the circuit carrier has a plurality of devicepositions for electronic devices and is separated into individualdevices.
 12. A panel, comprising: a plurality of multilayer circuitcarriers, each circuit carrier having at least one semiconductor chipand/or at least one discrete component, at least one rewiring layer, therewiring layer having a rewiring structure; at least one insulationlayer, the insulation layer having passage structures and externalcontact areas arranged on an underside of the circuit carrier as anexternal contact layer at a predetermined pitch; and an anchoring layerarranged between the rewiring layer and the insulation layer, theanchoring layer having anchoring layer anchor regions that fix aposition of the passage structures in the multilayer circuit carrier,wherein the external contact areas are electrically connected to therewiring structure via the passage structures and the anchor regions,wherein the circuit carriers are stacked one above the other andconnected to one another via through contacts.
 13. An electronic device,comprising: at least one multilayer circuit carrier, the circuit carrierhaving at least one semiconductor chip and/or at least one discretecomponent, at least one rewiring layer, the rewiring layer having arewiring structure, at least one insulation layer, the insulation layerhaving passage structures and external contact areas arranged on anunderside of the circuit carrier as an external contact layer at apredetermined pitch, and an anchoring layer arranged between therewiring layer and the insulation layer, the anchoring layer havinganchoring layer anchor regions that fix a position of the passagestructures in the multilayer circuit carrier, wherein the externalcontact areas are electrically connected to the rewiring structure viathe passage structures and the anchor regions.
 14. The electronic deviceas claimed in claim 13, wherein the electronic device has at least onerewiring structure made of conductive plastic.
 15. The electronic deviceas claimed in claim 14, wherein the electronic device has a stackcomprising a semiconductor chip on an insulation layer with elongatedthrough contacts and an insulation layer with through contacts in apredetermined pitch of external contact areas, the through contacts ofthe two insulation layers being electrically connected to one anotherand packaged in a common plastic housing composition.
 16. A method forproducing a multilayer circuit carrier having at least one rewiringlayer, an anchoring layer, an insulation layer with a passagestructures, and an external contact layer, the method comprising: a)providing a metal plate for producing an insulation layer with passagestructures; b) applying a photoresist layer and patterning of thephotoresist layer while leaving free areas on which passage structuresare deposited; c) chemically depositing or electrodepositing passagestructures in the free areas; d) removing the photoresist layer from themetal plate; e) applying plastic housing composition while embedding thepassage structures and while leaving free surface regions of the passagestructures; f) removing the metal plate; g) applying an anchoring layerby selective application of anchor laminae on the surfaces of thepassage structures, the anchor laminae having a larger area than thesurface regions of the passage structures that have been left free; h)applying a rewiring layer by selective application of a rewiringstructure to the anchoring layer; and i) completing the circuit carrierwith at least one semiconductor chip and/or at least one discretecomponent.
 17. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the rewiringstructure is patterned from conductive plastic by photolithography or byprinting technology.
 18. The method as claimed in claim 16, whereinadditional insulation layers with through contacts and rewiring layersarranged on the insulation layers are applied to the circuit carrier,plastic filled with nonconductive particles being used for theinsulation layers and plastic filled with electrically conductiveparticles being used for the through contacts and the rewiringstructures of the rewiring layers.
 19. A method for producing amultilayer circuit carrier having at least two insulation layers, whichare arranged in pairs and have passage structures, the lower insulationlayer having through contacts, and the upper insulation layer with itspassage structures forming a rewiring layer, and anchoring layersarranged on the insulation layers, the anchoring layers being joined oneon top of the other, the method comprising: a) providing metal platesfor producing insulation layers with passage structures; b) applyingphotoresist layers and patterning the photoresist layers on the metalplates while leaving free areas on which passage structures aredeposited as through contacts and/or as rewiring structure in the formof continuous conductor tracks and/or continuous metal plates; c)chemically depositing or electrodepositing passage structures in thefree areas; d) removing the photoresist layers from the metal plates; e)applying plastic housing composition while embedding the passagestructures and while leaving free surface regions of the passagestructures, f) removing the metal plates; g) applying anchoring layersby selective application of anchor laminae on the uncovered surfaceregions of the passage structures, the anchor laminae having a largerarea than the uncovered surface regions of the passage structures; h)pair wise joining the insulation layers with passage structures whileconnecting the anchor laminae of the anchoring layers; and i) completingof the circuit carrier with at least one semiconductor chip and/or withat least one discrete device element.
 20. The method as claimed in claim16, wherein step f) is after step g).
 21. A method for producing amultilayer circuit carrier having at least two insulation layers, whichare arranged in pairs and have passage structures, the lower insulationlayer having through contacts, and the upper insulation layer with itspassage structures forming a rewiring layer, and anchoring layersarranged on the insulation layers, the anchoring layers being joined oneon top of the other, the method comprising: a) providing metal platesfor producing insulation layers with passage structures; b) applyingphotoresist layers and patterning the photoresist layers on the metalplates leaving free areas on which passage structures are deposited asthrough contacts and/or as rewiring structure in the form of continuousconductor tracks and/or continuous metal plates; c) chemicallydepositing or electrodepositing of passage structures in the free areas;d) applying anchoring layers by selective application of anchor laminaeon the surface regions of the passage structures, the anchor laminaehaving a larger area than the surface regions of the passage structures;e) removing the photoresist layers from the metal plates; f) pair wisejoining the insulation layers with passage structures while connectingthe anchor laminae of the anchoring layers; g) injecting of a plastichousing composition between the metal plates while embedding the passagestructures and the anchor laminae of the two insulation layers; h)removing the metal plates; and i) completing the circuit carrier with atleast one semiconductor chip and/or at least one discrete deviceelement.
 22. The method as claimed in claim 19, wherein one of the twoinsulation layers of a pair is produced as substrate layer with throughcontacts, the through contacts being provided in a manner correspondingto the pitch of the external contact areas.
 23. The method as claimed inclaim 19, wherein one of the two insulation layers of a pair is producedas rewiring layer with continuous conductor tracks and/or continuousmetal plates and/or through contacts.
 24. The method as claimed in claim19, wherein as passage structures, through contacts, and/or continuousconductor tracks, and/or continuous metal plates are deposited on themetal plate.
 25. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein during thechemical or galvanic application of the passage structures, a nickelalloy is deposited on a metal plate made of a copper alloy.
 26. Themethod as claimed in claim 16, wherein before the photoresist layer isapplied to the metal plate, the metal plate is provided with acopper-coated sheet.
 27. The method as claimed in claim 26, wherein themetal plate is removed by detaching the sheet.
 28. The method as claimedin claim 16, wherein the metal plate is removed by etching technology.29. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the metal plate isremoved by plasma etching.
 30. The method as claimed in claim 16,wherein for selective application of anchor laminae, the surface of theinsulation layer is provided with a metal film and the anchoring layeris patterned by photolithography.
 31. The method as claimed in claim 16,wherein the anchor laminae are applied to the surfaces of the passagestructures by printing technology.
 32. The method as claimed in claim16, wherein for applying a semiconductor chip to the circuit carrier, achip with flip-chip external contacts is provided.
 33. The method asclaimed in claim 16, wherein during application of a semiconductor chipto the circuit carrier, the semiconductor chip is applied to acontinuous metal plate as chip island and the contact areas of thesemiconductor chip are connected to the rewiring structure via bondingconnections.
 34. The circuit carrier as claimed in claim 6, wherein thesolder is at least one of gold, tin, or aluminum.
 35. An electronicdevice, comprising: a panel having a plurality of multilayer circuitcarriers, each circuit carrier having at least one semiconductor chipand/or at least one discrete component, at least one rewiring layer, therewiring layer having a rewiring structure, at least one insulationlayer, the insulation layer having passage structures and externalcontact areas arranged on an underside of the circuit carrier as anexternal contact layer at a predetermined pitch, and an anchoring layerarranged between the rewiring layer and the insulation layer, theanchoring layer having anchoring layer anchor regions that fix aposition of the passage structures in the multilayer circuit carrier,wherein the external contact areas are electrically connected to therewiring structure via the passage structures and the anchor regions,wherein the circuit carriers are stacked one above the other and connectvia through contacts.
 36. The electronic device as claimed in claim 35,wherein the electronic device has at least one rewiring structure madeof conductive plastic.
 37. The electronic device as claimed in claim 36,wherein the electronic device has a stack comprising a semiconductorchip on an insulation layer with elongated through contacts and aninsulation layer with through contacts in a predetermined pitch ofexternal contact areas, the through contacts of the two insulationlayers being electrically connected to one another and packaged in acommon plastic housing composition.
 38. The method as claimed in claim28, wherein the etching technology is wet etching.